


Just This Once

by clearheartsgreyflowers



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-04-03 03:48:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4085491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clearheartsgreyflowers/pseuds/clearheartsgreyflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Claude Giroux and Tyler Seguin strike up a friendship early in the 2012-2013 season, after being acquaintances around the league for years. Suddenly, a landslide of crap threatens everything they worked so hard for - including each other. </p>
<p>Joined together by grilled cheese and hockey, Tyler and Claude find a solid friendship - and then some.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Summer 2013

 

He couldn't remember what he heard first - the outburst of laughter coming from outside or the door slamming and suddenly waking him from the couch. It was barely 7 o'clock, the sun was slowly falling behind the skyline. He had already knocked back way too many drinks and to be honest, he forgot where he was for a split second. The pounding ache in his head seemed to make his entire body want to crawl into a quiet room and pass out for hours. Before he could make any decision, there were hands shaking him to rouse him from his groggy nap. Finally, his arms regained some type of movement and slowly sat up with a low groan.

"What the fuck?" Claude glared at the intruder who dared to interrupt this alcohol-driven state. He had a bad habit of getting cranky once he started to sober up, and unfortunately he began to feel his mind beginning to clear. He needed another beer.

"C'mon you light weight. You totally missed it! The cops just left!"

Before he even knew what was happening, Claude was on his feet. A horrible sense of dread sat deep in his stomach as made a beeline for the back of the house, barreling through the patio door and outside into a sea of people. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the dusk, he tried to fight the constant stream of worst-case scenarios that ran through his mind. Behind him, Claude heard that familiar laugh. "Mother fucker." He mumbled to himself, stalking over to the small crowd that was surrounding Tyler and laughing along with him. "Heeeeey ginger man!" Tyler pushed through the crowd, with a beer in each hand, and offered one to Claude. “Did you fall asleep? You look pissed. Have a drink.”

Claude took a deep breath, hesitantly accepting the beer only because he needed some sort of relief after nearly suffering a heart attack. He studied his friend carefully, finally reassuring himself that obviously nothing had happened and everything was fine. “Why were the cops here? What did you do? Tyler, what if you had gotten in trouble...”

“Me? Never! Don’t be a grump, G. It got handled. Look, no handcuffs.” Tyler extended both arms and gave Claude a lopsided smile. “I swear, it’s no problem. Drink.”

Claude shrugged, giving a similar smile in return and taking a few long sips of his beer. No, he wasn’t really satisfied with the explanation but at this point it would be useless to drag it on. Maybe in the morning he would have a better conversation when they were both sober.

More hours passed. The party died down, and the crowd dwindled to a only a handful of bodies passed out in various parts of the house. Claude sat outside on the steps, enjoying the peace and quiet of a Cape Cod summer night. He had stopped drinking about two hours ago. His mind was clear, and his body was very much ready for bed. As he was about to stand up, a shadow moved behind him and sat down with a loud sigh. Tyler didn’t have a drink, and Claude knew he was probably not even all that drunk anymore. However, Tyler had a habit of “playing drunk” whenever he was out in a crowd and was very good at it. Anytime he was spotted partying and reported as being completely wasted, chances are he was far from it. Claude never understood why Tyler did it. Maybe he just enjoyed the freedom that comes with people assuming you are three sheets to the wind and therefore no one takes anything you say seriously. Tyler was playing this role quite well and fooled almost everyone while the party dispersed. Claude knew better, of course. He could automatically tell when his friend was wasted, and when he was putting on a show. Right now? It was a show. The older man stared off into the dark sky, admiring the beautiful, clear view of the stars. It was so perfect, just like being home in Hearst. Claude did love living in Philadelphia, but the harsh city lights skewed the nighttime sky and made it difficult to see everything. Back home, he could sit outside and spend forever getting lost in the picturesque view.

“You could have gotten in real trouble, Segs. A ticket, or even arrested.” Claude spoke without turning his head, choosing his words carefully and not wanting to sound as angry as he felt.

Tyler was caught a bit off guard, not that he wasn’t expecting to hear some shit from Claude but maybe he just did not expect to hear it so soon. “Nothing happened. I told you. It’s handled.” His words were forcibly slurred, which meant he was trying a little too hard to appear drunk so Claude would hopefully drop the subject. Honestly, he wasn’t in any mood to have this conversation, especially with Claude. The two had grown close over the last few months, which is why he had invited Claude out to Cape Cod with him. In fact, Claude was becoming someone he could really trust with just about anything. Perhaps this was the reason why he suddenly felt his stomach turn into knots as his friend was showing more concern than he was ready for at the moment.

Claude frowned at the sky, finally spinning his entire body to the side so he was facing Tyler. “You can quit fucking around, Tyler. I know you’re not drunk. You haven’t been drunk for hours. You’re as sober as I am. I don’t care if you handled things. It was dangerous and risky to begin with. I told you to be careful, you can’t fuck with this shit.” He stopped to take a breath, trying to calm his nerves because he really wanted to continue, but he didn’t want to say anything he might regret.

Silence. Neither man spoke for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Claude spoke up again.

“I don’t get you. You have everything. Yeah, I know you’re pissed about the trade and you’re upset. But why make stupid decisions that could possibly ruin your chance at a new start? Getting arrested won’t exactly look great to your new team.” He should have stopped, but Claude was already rambling and his mouth just would not stop moving despite what his brain was screaming. “You still have a career. You’re young, you’re talented. Have a ton of great friends and....and girls throwing themselves at you on a daily basis. I just. I don’t understand.” He was getting cold and he knew it. Maybe too brash, too cold. Claude shook his head and stretched his legs out, completely ready to get up and go to bed before things got even worse.

Tyler felt his breath catch in his throat. “Not everything.” He whispered.

“What?” Claude paused, sitting up with his legs bent and chin resting on his knees.

“I don’t have everything.” Tyler said a little louder, his voice a bit shaky but somewhat calm.

“What else could you want?” At first he was slightly annoyed, but Claude felt a lingering curiosity that filled his stomach with anxiety. It was unexplainable, and his better judgement was practically begging him to jump ship before it was too late. No, his body refused to move.

Tyler didn’t hesitate. His eyes locked on Claude without much effort, and his spontaneous streak was about to take over. “What if I said, I wanted more? I don’t care about the parties, or the alcohol, or the girls. I want you.” The words flowed so easily, so simply. No beer was needed.

No, there was very little alcohol in either of them. Claude wasn’t shocked, he wasn’t confused. In fact, he was very sure and very confident as he reached out for the younger man. His hand slid softly along Tyler’s cheek, very quickly but enough to make Tyler’s heart jump. Claude grabbed Tyler by the back of the neck and pulled him in before the other man had any time to react. “Why didn’t you say something sooner? You can have me, asshole.” Claude smirked, pressing his lips against Tyler’s with a softness and sweetness that neither of them had felt in so long.

“You’re the asshole.” Tyler mumbled as loudly as he dared, since he absolutely did not want to break the kiss but he couldn’t let Claude have the last word.

The older man grinned into the kiss, conceding the conversation and letting Tyler win - just this once.


	2. A Little Drunk and A Little Frisky

JULY 2014.

The phone chirped to life with an unfamiliar noise. Claude almost decided to let it ring, but he knew the person on the other end would not give up anytime soon. He grabbed the phone and stared at the blinking screen. _No, I would NOT like to FaceTime right now_. He thought bitterly as he begrudgingly answered the call. Suddenly, he was greeted by a wide smile and bright, brown eyes. Claude grumbled and sank back against the pillows, scowling at the other man’s snarky grin.

“Well, isn’t this an ironic turn of events.” Tyler’s face beamed from the screen, obviously enjoying his moment while Claude rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. “Did you get fingerprinted? Do you have a mugshot? Oh please tell me you have a mugshot, G.” 

Claude rolled to the side, propping his phone up and letting out an exacerbated sigh. “And here I thought you would be mad.” He said softly.

Tyler’s face changed, ever so slightly. He pursed his lips for a moment, and then replied. “Yeah, I was mad. Upset, yeah. But I got over it. Not like you got into a bar fight or anything. So what? My boyfriend got a little drunk and a little frisky. It’s actually really fucking funny.”

The response received a noticeable change, as Claude’s face flushed a bit. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you refer to me as your boyfriend. You giant teddy bear.” He teased.

“This coming from the guy who _actually_ got arrested. I might be a teddy bear, but I was able to talk my way out of the handcuffs, remember?” Tyler teased right back, puckering his lips together into an air kiss. 

“You’re a dick. Is that the only reason you called? To see if I was changed from my night in the slammer?” Claude sighed dramatically. 

Tyler’s face brightened again. “Any prison tattoos? This is very important information that I need to know.” 

“No tattoos. I didn’t make any new friends. It was an awful and embarrassing experience. From now on, I will keep my hands to myself.” Claude said with a small smile, half burying his face into the pillows to hide the returning blush to his cheeks. 

“Oh really?” Tyler challenged with an eyebrow quirked in suspicion. “Forever?”

“Shut up. I fucking hate you.” Claude couldn’t help but smile - no matter how obnoxious their conversations could be or how much he just wanted to slap Tyler in the face – he felt something tug at his heart whenever they were together. It was light, it wasn’t complicated, and even trading insults was something he often looked forward to during their phone calls or text messages. He didn’t have to worry with Tyler.

“I beg to differ, sir. You can’t live without me.” Tyler gave another huge, shit-eating grin that he knew made Claude crazy. That was basically the foundation of their relationship, which worked out pretty well. They made each other crazy, they annoyed the hell out of each other - and Tyler absolutely loved it. He could be himself completely without the backlash or being reprimanded for his uncommon sense of humor, or feeling like he had to change. That was the most amazing part – neither of them felt any pressure to change. 

A soft, sweet smile spread across Claude’s face. “No, I can’t. I can’t live without you.”

…

 

What time was it? Tyler had lost track and he realized that it was pitch black outside, yet he still remained in his bed. Shirtless, curled up with the pillows and two dogs at his feet, he just didn’t want to end this conversation. It was rare that they found any time to talk at length, let alone FaceTime for hours talking about everything from hockey to the proper way to approach a keg stand. He ignored the heaviness in his eyelids and shook himself awake. Claude was drifting off, too. For the past hour, the older man slipped into French every so often and eventually Tyler became too tired to notice. He loved listening to Claude speak French. It was soothing. Almost like a lullaby.

“Segs? You’re falling asleep again.”

Dammit. Tyler had fallen asleep for the third time in half an hour. He was groggy and very much exhausted, but did not want to stop. “No, I’m fine. I’m awake. What were we talking about?”

Claude shook his head and smiled. “You were in the middle of challenging me to a game of strip beer pong. Go to bed, Tyler. We can talk tomorrow.” 

“But…I’m awake….and I could totally kick your ass..” Tyler laughed loudly at his own delirious ramblings, feeling another wave of sleep wash over him. “Yeah. I’m tired.”

“Sleep. I’ll call you when I can.” Claude felt his own eyes beginning to feel extremely difficult to keep open.

“Claude?”

“Yeah?”

“Do ghosts fart?”

“Good night, Tyler.”


	3. Hold the Eggs

This was getting ridiculous. Tyler napped briefly in the plush backseat of the car, some huge and expensive SUV that was sent for him even though he was always more than happy to drive himself. For team – related appearances he usually took his own car, anyway. When it was a brand – sponsored event, he couldn’t convince them otherwise. “We have to protect our assets.” was the response, and he never argued. It did seem hilarious that his own team wasn’t too concerned with his safety(well, he was a decent driver), but when it came to the bigwigs behind a major shoe company or radio station – he was essentially treated like a clumsy child. This particular early morning he was grateful for the ride and Tyler appreciated the extra rest. As the car slowly came to a stop, and he was being shooed out of the back, Tyler quickly glanced down at this phone before stuffing it into his pocket. 3 missed calls and a voice message, plus a slew of texts that he never got around to opening last night. Maybe a few years ago the attention would be inflating his ego to the size of the moon, but he was tired now. One season in Dallas under his belt and he was new blood to them, something shiny and interesting. He had made plans for this summer, lots of plans that included spending time with a certain ginger. Soon enough, his time was booked solid to the very end of the summer with no wiggle room. The days were flying by and Tyler had no control over his own schedule anymore. One night he even begged his management team to please spare him at least a week or two. He wanted to see family, he wanted to hop a plane to Philly and surprise the man who had been so patient and understanding for so long. It was useless to try. He had obligations.

This obligation was a 6am interview for a Dallas radio station. His feet dragged beneath him, silently hoping for a cup of coffee before he had to be a functioning human being. True, he could have asked, but Tyler was not the type of person who really enjoyed being waited on. If the studio had a table of refreshments set up, then he could certainly help himself. As if on cue, a random studio intern greeted him and offered to grab him something to drink. Tyler perked up, winked at the young girl, and waved her off.

“I can get it, thank you. Just show me where it is, miss.”

…

9am, East Coast. Claude woke with a start. He had definitely slept in, but he didn’t have anything planned for the day. His immediate reaction was to reach over and find his phone. He stopped midway, letting it fall onto the bed beside him. If he continued to set himself up for disappointment, he would go insane. It was early and he knew there would be messages from everyone, except the one person he wanted to hear from the most. Without even bothering to check, Claude left his phone on the bed and rolled himself onto his feet. He wasn’t hungry, but he headed for the kitchen anyway. Cooking distracted him, and he learned recently that he really enjoyed it. Instead of going for his usual bowl of cereal, Claude began pulling ingredients for a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs, toast and turkey bacon. He set the carton of eggs on the table and broke into a smile. The last time he was in Dallas, he tried to surprise Tyler with breakfast in bed but the dogs wanted to help too. Marshall got caught under his feet and Claude dropped the entire carton of eggs(and himself) on the kitchen floor. Completely ignoring the mess on the floor, both Cash and Marshall had started to lick Claude just to make sure he was okay. That was the moment when Tyler walked in, took one look at the scene, and joined the party on the floor.

 

 

> _"_ Are we eating off the floor?" Tyler nudged Claude with a grin, placing a quick kiss on the other man's cheek. He stood back up and called the dogs over to let them out into the backyard and out of the way.
> 
> Claude pouted, sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor staring at the mess. "It's my new recipe. Eggs a la floor. Grab the bacon and we'll have a feast down here." He cracked a smile, reaching his hands up and grabbing at the air, waiting for Tyler to help him up. The younger man complied, taking Claude's hands in his own and yanking him up onto his feet. "Hope you're not really hungry...this could be a while." Claude said sheepishly.
> 
> Tyler chuckled, threading fingers through the other man's hair as he pulled Claude in closer for a kiss. "Oh, I'm hungry. For something else." He nipped softly at Claude's lips, gently shoving their bodies back against the kitchen counter. Claude was pinned under Tyler's body, hands slipped around the younger man's waist and innocently exploring the bare skin exposed above this hips. The one thing that always made Claude melt was the way Tyler constantly walked around shirtless, pants just barely hanging on around his narrow hips without a care. Claude wasn't nearly as confident or comfortable with his own body, no matter how much Tyler tried to convince him otherwise.
> 
> "This isn't a proper breakfast..." Claude mumbled, his lips once again occupied before he could finish his thought. All consciousness left his body as Tyler's lips moved down to his neck and found a spot to nip and bite. With a low groan, Claude reached up to slide his fingers through Tyler's hair and pulled roughly.
> 
> "I'll show you a proper breakfast." Tyler growled, pulling away and flipping Claude over until his stomach was pressed against the counter. Slowly, Tyler placed a hand flat on Claude's back and gently angled his torso down. Tyler's body was pushed flush against Claude's, enough so that the older man could feel everything.
> 
> "What about the mess?" Claude barely got the words above a whisper, his breath catching in his throat.
> 
> "Fuck the mess."
> 
>  

No. They didn't do much eating that day. Well, what they could in between making their own mess in the kitchen, in the bedroom, in the living room...in the pool, in the laundry room. The memory made Claude shiver, even though his heart was sinking. Maybe he should go get his phone, just in case. Abandoning his breakfast for a moment, Claude made for the bedroom and chewed on his bottom lip as he picked up his phone. A missed call, and a few new text messages. The call was from his mom. He was about to return the call when he noticed that he had two texts from Tyler. "Sorry ma." He whispered to himself, tapping on his messages and silently hoping for something substantial.

 

_"Hey babe sorry i got so busy. You're prob sleeping. Call you later."_

_"Miss you."_

 

Claude shrugged, letting the phone fall onto the bed. He tried to made excuses, he tried to tell himself that it was an improvement at least. Then why did he feel like his heart was being squeezed of all its life? Why couldn't he just accept this and go on with his day? Actually, why wasn't he making himself just as busy instead of waiting around to be acknowledged? He didn't know any of the answers. He only knew how incredibly horrible this feeling was, and he wanted it to go away. "Yeah. Miss you too." He said to the air, stalking back into the kitchen to finish his breakfast. Without the eggs.


	4. The Chasm

“Listen, I’m sorry. I don’t know what else you want from me.” Tyler glanced down at the floor, leaning against the doorframe between his master bedroom and the hallway. The phone was growing hot in his hand, they had been carrying on this conversation for almost an hour. There was more silence on the other end but Tyler could just about hear the painful tension as Claude struggled to find the right words. “I guess I’m just a shitty boyfriend.” He said with a shrug, more for himself since obviously the other man could not see him.

Finally, Claude let out a deep sigh and cradled his head in his hands. He was alone, as usual, and curled up beside his bed with the phone on speaker. He didn’t have the strength to crawl onto the bed. “You’re not shitty. It’s just-“ He stopped mid-sentence, choosing his next words very carefully. “It’s just that I had hoped for a little more effort. I don’t know. I feel like you have no time for me when I’m doing everything I can to keep this alive.” His spirit was pretty much broken by this point. Claude slumped against the bed, his phone sitting a few inches away and he stared at it like a rattlesnake about to attack. He hated snakes.

“For fuck’s sake, Claude.” A line had definitely been crossed, and Tyler very rarely called him by his name unless something was wrong. Right now, Tyler was seething. If he didn’t control himself, his phone would end up across the hallway smashed against the wall. “What the fuck do you want? I can’t control this. It’s not my fault.” The last words were choked as a lump suddenly formed in his throat. He was clearly distressed, but had no idea how to handle it. “I can’t-“

“You can’t, what? Make time to be with me? The summer is damn near over and I have seen you once. And that was because I made the effort to fly out to Dallas. I understood your obligations so I moved MY schedule around for YOU.” Claude felt the anger reach his eyes. He wanted to scream, cry, punch the wall and break a window all at the same time. Before he could stop himself, he felt the tears pooling and once they started, he gave in. He let the raw, torturous ache wash over him like a million tiny knives stabbing every inch of his body. He was shaking, shaking with the distinct knowledge that his heart was actually breaking that very moment. The existing cracks and chips were giving way to huge, cavernous gaps that fell and turned to dust with each minute that ticked by. This _had_ to be the end. He was empty.

“I thought you understood.” His voice was still soft and controlled, despite the roaring anger building inside his body. Tyler felt his legs give out, and he slid down along the wall until he was dumped onto the floor like a ragdoll that was tossed aside. “You can walk away, you know. I’m just shit with relationships.”

“Apparently, we’re both shit with relationships. Long distance, at least. Do you even think about how this is affecting me? How awful it feels when a relationship becomes one sided? How much it fucking hurts when you can’t give me anything but a phone call or a text? During the season I don’t mind but fuck, Tyler. When will you have time for me?” Claude took a deep breath, not realizing that he was barely taken in any air during that rant and he was suddenly gasping. “I feel like I’m drowning.” He whispered, unsure if Tyler even heard his final remark.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Tyler was completely speechless. Claude’s words struck him like a flying elbow to the side of his head. Was he really being _that_ selfish? Did he honestly expect Claude to stick around? Hell, if the situation were reversed Tyler would sure as hell be just as pissed. How could he possibly fix this?

“I guess that’s my answer.” Claude sighed. He watched the phone for a moment, checking the screen to make sure they were still connected because Tyler had been so quiet. Just as he was about to tap the screen and hang up, he heard rustling on the other end.

“Wait, Claude-“

“Bye Ty.”

Claude ended the conversation quickly, not even the least bit curious as to what Tyler was about to say. To him, it just didn’t matter anymore. He left his phone on the floor and crawled onto the bed, collapsing into the heartache.

“I love you.” Tyler spoke out loud to no one, his phone now in his lap as he blinked back tears.


	5. Turbulence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for taking so long with this, I got thrown into something at work and haven't had much time to write. I hope to get a few more chapters done asap.

It had been days, or maybe even weeks. Time never seemed to remain constant around him. One day it felt as though everyone was moving too slowly and he has caught in some strange bubble, just observing. Then most days he was stuck in a loop of nothing. It could be day or night, a day passing by so quickly that he even forgot to eat. Was he hearing things now? His vision blurred, which happened often, the room shifted almost to a full tilt and then righted itself. The ringing in his ears was either getting louder, or it was actually a sound happening in the real world. _Your phone is ringing, idiot._ His own mind scolded him. But his phone always rang. All day and all night, or so it seemed. Then again, he was so unaware of time there was a good chance his mind was playing tricks on him. Was his phone really ringing at 4am? Wait, was it 4am? He furrowed his brows and squinted at the digital clock across the room. 4:24, and the sky was still depressingly dark. So unless he had slept through a major apocalypse, it was definitely 4am. Without glancing at the screen to find out who was calling this late(early?), he answered the call quietly.

 

“Huh? Hello?”

“Jesus Christ, Claude. Where have you been? What the fuck is going on? Are you alright? I’ve been calling and texting for a week.” Tyler’s voice sounded far away, but very angry and Claude was slightly confused for a moment. A week? What day was it? What month? How did he miss so much time? His head suddenly began to ache. Where did he put his pills?

“Claude? Are you there? Please. I know you’re still mad but just talk to me. Let me know you’re okay.” Tyler paused, taking in a deep, shaky breath. “I was worried.”

Claude was barely listening while he was rummaging through the drawers of his nightstand. He couldn’t remember where he had placed the bottle last, and he was starting to panic. Tyler was still talking, but he was far too concerned with the rising level of panic and fear in his body. Finally, he took one quick look under the bed and spotted the bottle nearly halfway to the opposite side. He had to set the phone down in order to reach his body across the floor, snatching up the bottle with wide eyes. _Nothing can touch me now. It won’t hurt anymore. Nothing can hurt me._

“Nothing can hurt me.” He murmured out loud, not realizing that he had picked up the phone again. It didn’t really matter, anyway. He popped the bottle open, fishing out a pill like a giddy kid on Christmas Day. Seconds later, he was spread out on the bed with the phone still in his hand.

“CLAUDE. Answer me! Where are you?” The panic began to subside. Even with Tyler screaming in his ear, Claude felt peaceful. The euphoric, calming feeling of everything floating away was what he had missed so desperately. In fact, he wanted to chase that feeling with a hit from the neatly rolled joint that was just waiting for him in his sock drawer. Then again, it was too much of an effort to get up. Instead, he grinned to himself and watched the ceiling dance above him.

“Where…? I’m in...my bed, of course.” Claude answered almost with a snide edge, as if Tyler should have known he was safe in his bed, the same place he had been for however long. He completely ignored the fact that Tyler admitted to calling consistently trying to reach him. He just didn’t care.

“I’m on my way. Stay…there I guess. Please. Just wait for me.” Tyler was already tossing clothes into his travel bag as he spoke, not bothering to think about how long he might be gone. All he could think about was how extremely off the wall Claude sounded, and it scared him shitless. It just wasn’t like Claude to be so careless. He stared at the pile of clothes, his brain not registering what needed to be done. Tyler grabbed his phone and was suddenly on auto pilot as he quickly bought a plane ticket for whatever flight he could get at the last minute. It all seemed so routine, but his heart was about to beat out of his chest. He convinced himself that whatever he found once he arrived to Philadelphia, it was ultimately his fault. If he had tried a little harder – if he had just made the effort…maybe he wouldn’t be feeling like his whole world was about to come crashing down. Clothes, wallet, phone charger, what else did he need? He checked his watch and just decided he was wasting time. Whatever he forgot he could buy or borrow when he arrived. The only thing on his mind was getting to Claude.

 

***

 

The flight was so agonizing and awful, Tyler cursed under his breath at each setback that managed to come his way. The plane was late taking off, patches of turbulence almost the entire flight, right down to the shitty in-flight movie and sorry excuse for a meal. He opted for some whiskey to ease his nerves, although one glass just didn’t seem like enough and pretty soon he was feeling the liquor burn his throat. It wasn’t a very long flight to begin with, but Tyler felt like it was forever before their descent was announced. He asked for a bottle of water from the flight attendant and let his body relax against the seat. His head turned to watch the early morning sun light up the city as the plane slowly dipped lower. He wasn’t entirely sure what his plan was once he landed, but he at least had money for cab, Claude’s address and a spare key to the other man’s place. Tyler hurried through the crowd as the plane emptied; silently thankful he only had a carry on because there was no way he had any patience for baggage claim at the moment. He wandered around the Philadelphia Airport, taking a few minutes to grab coffee for both himself and Claude before seeking out the best spot to hail a taxi. 15 minutes later, he was outside Claude’s door, struggling to balance two coffee cups and his bag while digging the key out of his pocket. It felt like an eternity before he managed to open the door. At first sight, nothing looked strange or out of place. He quietly closed the door behind him and locked it. Shuffling his bag onto his shoulder, he hesitated before he could make his feet move. The sun peeked through the large bay windows in the living room, greeting him with endless warmth on his face. Tyler smiled a bit, and made his way down the hallway into the master bedroom. In his head he expected the worst, but something told him he was doing the right thing. Claude needed him, and maybe Tyler needed Claude even more.


	6. I Always eat my Mexican food in the nude.

It was quiet, mostly peaceful, but once in a while Claude could feel flashes of memory waking him up from a deep sleep. Never anything he could understand, really. Most dreams are incoherent to begin with, and usually upon waking he had no recollection of what had forced him out of his slumber. This time he was jostled by the strange feeling of something heavy beside him. Either his imagination was amazing or his place was haunted because this was a very real sensation and Claude nearly panicked. Slowly, and ready to swing if needed, he opened his eyes. What greeted him was(thankfully) not a friendly specter, but a welcome and smiling face.

“Tyler.” He breathed with a sigh, giving a sleepy smile and suddenly feeling a strong desire to plaster his entire body against Tyler’s for comfort. “You’re here. Are you really here?” 

Tyler snaked his arms around Claude’s torso and placed a soft kiss to the other man’s forehead. “I’m here. Do you need anything?” He had spotted the mess on the side table, noticing the pill bottle that was open but it didn’t register as shocking. It was prescribed to Claude and only typical pain medication. Tyler knew Claude rarely used it, and this was most likely a side effect. Now, if the room had been littered with empty beer bottles and other suspicious paraphernalia, then Tyler would have acted. Instead, he gently rubbed along Claude’s back and nuzzled against his neck. “Are you okay? Was it your wrists again?” 

Claude smiled a bit, still vaguely groggy but had enough energy to scoot his body closer and curl into Tyler’s embrace. “I hate Percs. But they make me float. I can sleep better, too.” It wasn’t exactly the answer Tyler was searching for, but given the current state Claude was in, it was enough. “I missed you.” He whispered.

“Will you take a break from them, for me? Just for a little while? I have a surprise for you.” Tyler obviously was not above bribery, not that he really thought it was needed. Claude was never the type to fall off the edge or completely risk his career for something stupid. Despite his own past, Tyler knew better. In fact, it seemed as though they both had even more motivation to push forward just by having each other. As cheesy and cliché as it sounded, it worked out for them. Tyler just wanted to see Claude happy again, and was willing to feign bribery if it made Claude feel better.

“A surprise? What kind of surprise? Does it involve you being naked?” Claude said with a smirk and a mischievous glint in his eyes. Tyler loved those eyes. He especially loved the way Claude always managed to say so much through a simple look. His green eyes could sparkle and lock Tyler’s attention to a point where he would lose track of time. Bewitching, really. Bewitching and totally sexy.

“Well. At some point I hope we will both be naked, in the near future. But, I was thinking a trip.” Tyler his hand down to find Claude’s, gripping it tightly and threading their fingers together. “Just the two of us.”

Claude quirked an eyebrow, and responded with a slight hint of sarcasm. “Do you have room in your busy schedule for a trip?” 

“Yes.” Tyler ignored the sarcasm, assuming it was just a side effect of the pills(which was completely untrue, of course). “I cleared a few weeks because spending time with you is more important than anything else. I promise.” 

Claude’s face changed, the glint of trouble now turning into the glazed-over look of happiness in his eyes. It was adorable. “Really?” The sarcasm was gone.

“Really really.” Tyler could no longer control himself, and he quickly closed the gap between them to crash his lips against Claude’s. A kiss would always be just a kiss for anyone else. When you have lukewarm feelings for someone, a kiss can be generic and lackluster. Most of Tyler’s kisses with others have been just that – lukewarm. The novelty often wore off within a few weeks and he hated being that typical guy who broke it off after a month or so. He only did it to save the other half from being miserable as time went on. This kiss in particular felt refreshing, euphoric. Something about Claude made Tyler spark to life. Even in an overly-medicated stupor this other man could radiate such strong energy and excitement it made Tyler’s head spin. Before he got too distracted, Tyler pulled away, nearly breathless. “Holy shit, G. I missed you, too. I missed being around you.”

Shaking the ginger hair out of his eyes, Claude rubbed the tip of his nose against Tyler’s and smiled. “Where are we going, handsome?” He asked, pulling a free hand up to lazily rake his fingers through Tyler’s hair.

“Let’s go to Disney World.” Tyler replied calmly, purposely down playing the comment just because he knew the reaction it would receive. He was right.

“Fuck yes! Can we go now? Where are we staying? Give me 20 minutes to pack-“ 

Tyler laughed and shook his head, cupping Claude’s face in his hands. “Whoa. Not so fast. Today is for us right now. We can stay in bed, order food, whatever. I want to talk. Then we can arrange everything later.” He gently pulled Claude in for another soft kiss. 

Claude instantly melted, allowing his excitement to slowly be controlled before speaking. “Okay, babe. I guess I could eat. I don’t remember the last time I ate.” 

“I’ll order something. You stay here. “ Tyler rolled off the bed, but felt a slight tug as Claude grabbed onto his shirt and pouted. “You need to eat! Food first and then whatever else you want.” He took Claude’s hand and kissed it with a grin. 

As Tyler was making his way down the hallway to the kitchen, he heard Claude call out behind him.

“Get me tacos! And deliver them to me naked!”


	7. Ignite.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Claude polished off two tacos before wiping his mouth and turning to his side, directing the question at Tyler as he still ate.  
  
Tyler quickly finished chewing the huge bite he had just taken and shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing specific, I just want to catch up with you. I missed you, a whole lot. I feel awful for acting like such an asshole.” He picked at the remainder of his burrito, making a face at the obscene amount of onions falling out of it even though he had asked for none.  
  
“You’re not an asshole. I was being a dick and not giving you a chance. Then I panicked and made myself crazy with all kinds of horrible thoughts. For a little while, I thought-“ Claude stopped short, a slight twinge of embarrassment hitting before he could finish his sentence. “I really thought that maybe you had gotten tired of me and didn’t want me.” His face fell into a somber mask, no longer scared of expressing his feelings because it was very obvious that Tyler wanted to hear it all. If they both wanted this to work, it was going to take a hefty dose of honesty from either side.  
  
“Don’t blame yourself, please. I was being stupid and childish. I just never had anything like this before, nothing this serious. I panicked, too.” Tyler smirked and reached a hand over to ruffle Claude’s hair. “Never had anyone make me as crazy as you do.”  
  
Claude blushed, swatting at Tyler’s hand and hijacking the unfinished burrito, stuffing it in his mouth with a flourish. Tyler let out a dramatic sigh and shook his head. It was a relief to see Claude back to himself again. Although it seemed as though they were stumbling along, each roadblock only made Tyler learn more about relationships, Claude, and himself in the process. He watched Claude wash down the burrito with what was left of his coffee and it made Tyler cringe and smile with amusement. “That’s disgusting. But you somehow make it look so cute.”  
  
“I’ve been told that I have an uncanny way of making unfavourable things look amazing.” Claude said with a grin, cleaning their trash off of the bed and silently vowing to clean it all up later. He stood up and stretched, arching his back and making low groans as his body protested the movement. On the other hand, Tyler was enjoying the view of his naked boyfriend displaying his fit, toned body like a private show.  
  
“Keep it up and I’ll start to think you’re doing this on purpose.” Tyler crawled across the bed and kneeled at the edge, sitting back on his heels in front of Claude. “In fact, I think you’re trying to seduce me.”  
  
Claude’s face flushed again. The boy blushed over almost anything. “I don’t even know how to seduce someone. I doubt I could seduce _you_.” He flashed a shy grin, running a hand through his hair and rolling his hips to stand in a model-esque pose.  
  
“You little shit.” Tyler reached out to brush his fingertips along Claude’s stomach, shuddering out a shallow breath. “You’re gorgeous.” His eyes slid slowly up the other man’s body, soaking in every carefully sculpted muscle as he finally found Claude’s eyes glaring down at him. It wasn’t malicious, but a lustful glare and made Tyler’s stomach flip with anticipation. Everything inside him tightened with that one look. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat.  
  
“You look so damn fuckable right now. Beg for it, beg for me.” Claude gripped a handful of Tyler’s hair and yanked his head back, exposing the younger man’s neck. “Or, I can make you beg.” Claude lifted a leg to rest his knee on the bed beside Tyler, leaning his body down to graze his teeth along Tyler’s neck and collarbone. The sudden control was intoxicating for Tyler. He loved the feeling of being completely taken, as opposed to other relationships (or one night stands) in which he was always expected to be the one in control. With Claude, it was a choice when they were together. Sometimes Tyler felt in the mood to control, or be the one controlled. More often than not, he urged Claude to make the decision and was pleasantly surprised when the older man wanted to possess him completely. Tyler yielded to him easily. With a low moan, he grabbed Claude by the hips and pressed their bodies close. He could feel Claude’s erection stiff against his stomach and it nearly drove Tyler out of his mind.  
  
“Please, baby.” Tyler groaned softly, the feeling of Claude’s teeth and tongue working his neck was more than he could handle for the moment and he was shocked that he could even speak. “You know you can do whatever you want.”  
  
Claude found this answer acceptable and extremely sexy, which caused him to find a spot on Tyler’s neck to bite down. Tyler felt his entire body react to the harsh sting, a fire igniting deep in his belly and leaving his cock aching. Without a word, Claude pulled back and gently cupped Tyler’s face in his hand. He thumbed over Tyler’s bottom lip, the palm of his hand rubbing against the surprisingly soft facial hair that Claude loved so much. Tyler nuzzled into the touch, his eyes fluttering shut for the brief moment as they merely enjoyed each other’s touch. This was what Tyler needed the most – gentle, physical contact with a raw meaning. He craved the connection that they shared outside of everything else, because sex was meaningless for him unless this need was fulfilled. They fed off each other; they felt the emptiness of being apart and the fear of losing themselves. Claude crawled onto the bed and dragged Tyler in for a kiss. It was magnetic and powerful, as usual. Hands roamed all over, rediscovering one another after so much time had passed. Tyler wrapped an arm around Claude’s waist, hauling him into his lap and burying his face in the older man’s neck. He stilled for a moment, and then finally lifted his face to meet Claude’s eyes once again.  
  
“I love you, Claude. So much.” The words seemed to bring a sense of comfort as Tyler studied Claude’s face carefully. Whatever the reaction was going to be, he was prepared. He meant it, and was not about to crumble under the fear that Claude would not understand.  
  
“I love you too, Tyler.” Claude grabbed Tyler’s face and kissed him hard with such a force that Tyler was not expecting. Tyler fell onto his back as Claude’s body pinned him against the bed, refusing to break the kiss. He had every intention of responding, but Tyler let his body do the talking. Still liplocked, Tyler guided Claude’s body to sit between his legs and pulled Claude’s hips flush against his own. Claude groaned into the kiss, his cock making brief contact with Tyler’s and it was more than enough motivation. Claude really didn’t need much motivation when it came to Tyler, but the teasing was definitely going to drive him insane if he didn’t take action. He slowly moved his lips down to nip at Tyler’s jaw before drawing back and roughly grabbing hold of Tyler’s hips. In one quick move, he had the younger man flipped onto his stomach. This would seem nearly impossible, if it was not for Tyler’s weakened state and his absolute need for whatever Claude had in mind. They were both strong, but also compliant and submissive when the situation called for it. Claude had no problem handling Tyler with rough hands as he pulled Tyler into position with a few more shoves and yanks. Tyler was almost panting with his need, now on his hands and knees with his ass in the air. He felt so vulnerable and exposed this way, but it was something he craved so desperately.  
  
Tyler groaned impatiently, his hands twisted into the pillow and face pressed down in anticipation. He tried to focus on his breathing, relaxing his tense body as he felt Claude’s hands groping and rubbing shamelessly. Claude gently teased with deft fingers, smirking to himself and watching Tyler squirm so deliciously under his touch. Slowly, he pressed two fingers against Tyler’s sensitive hole, riming the soft ring of muscle firmly but soft enough to elicit more encouraging sounds from the younger man. Withdrawing his hand, Claude stuck both fingers in his own mouth, making entirely sure they were slick and ready for his next move. The silence caused Tyler to let out a tiny whine, knowing that Claude did not plan on giving him any satisfaction until the other man felt like it. Usually when Claude was vocal during sex, it was something rough and animalistic, and when he was quiet - it was slow, teasing and absolutely perfect. Tyler rolled his hips back with another whine. The motion made Claude laugh softly, one hand taking hold of Tyler’s hip as his slick fingers quickly slid inside.  
  
“Ohhhh fuck. Claude..” Tyler took a sharp breath in, the feeling almost driving him over the edge simply because it was Claude, and he knew there was much more ahead. He couldn’t help the feeling of pure ecstacy he felt just having someone who knew him so closely, so intimately - knowing that this person had such more power over him. Claude knew every secret, every bad decision, and he continued to stick around. To him, nothing was sexier.  
  
Claude twisted his fingers, biting his lip and becoming just as impatient. With a low grunt, he slipped his fingers out and grabbed both of Tyler’s hips for balance before slamming himself inside without warning. “Fuck. How can you feel so damn fucking amazing?” Claude groaned through gritted teeth, pulling out to the tip and stilling just long enough to give Tyler a moment to relax a bit more. Claude didn’t waste much time after that, forcing his throbbing cock to slip inside Tyler’s slick, warm hole and letting his hips rock in a steady rhythm. Leaning over Tyler’s body, Claude reached a hand up to grab at Tyler’s hair and yank his head up, allowing Claude to bite down on Tyler’s exposed neck. The sting of pain was more than welcomed as Tyler cried out loud and tossed his body back against Claude’s hips, causing the older man’s cock to slide deeper. With quick thrusts, Claude found the sweet spot waiting for his touch and stroked his cock over the area repeatedly until Tyler was begging for release.  
  
“Please. Oh god. I can’t hold on. I can’t -” Tyler’s strangled groans spurred Claude to work faster, his hand raking down Tyler’s back while the other kept a tight grip on the younger man’s hip. The free hand brushed along Tyler’s skin, rubbing his side and finally finding its destination as Claude wrapped his hand around Tyler’s rock hard erection.  
  
“Don’t hold back, baby. Come for me.” Claude’s lips were right beside Tyler’s ear, hot and sultry and purring the words he knew would make Tyler fall apart. They almost did, except Tyler was able to stave off his orgasm until he was sure Claude was just as close. With renewed focus, Tyler pumped himself into Claude’s hand while his muscles contracted around the older man’s cock. “Oh for fuck’s sake. Tyler.” Claude growled, his grip tightening on Tyler’s hip and cock, a sudden surge of primal need flowing and burning through his body.  
“Come for me. Now.” Claude bit down on Tyler’s warm and sweaty back, his hips ramming relentlessly into Tyler with more growls falling from his lips.  
  
As if on cue, Tyler’s body shook. It was strong and wild, the orgasm ripping through him like a bolt of lightening setting fire to every nerve along the way. The ripples continued as Claude let himself climax with a loud cry, his hips still rolling and riding out his orgasm with slow but deliberate thrusts. Both men collided their pleasure, their bodies shaking and clinging to each other with such a desperate need to be touched. Claude separated himself from Tyler, wincing at the friction as his swollen cock slid out easily. He collapsed, exhausted and weak, wrapping both arms around Tyler tight as they remained side by side on the bed and breathing heavy.  
  
And it was perfect.


	8. The Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many apologies for taking so long with this! Pushing a tiny human out of your body takes up a ton of time(apparently you gotta feed it, watch it sleep, etc). Anywho. I'm trying to make up for lost time and hopefully get a few chapters done within the next week or so.

MAY 2015

The bed wasn’t awful; it also was far from comfortable. Not that it really mattered to him, Claude had experienced unfamiliar European lodging before and this was the best he expected. Actually, this bed in particular was the softer of the two in the room (he made sure to try out both and pick his favorite). His original roommate had been moved, and he was currently awaiting a replacement. He knew who he _wanted_ to share a room with, but he too afraid to make a request. They had managed to keep everything quiet for nearly two years and the smallest mistake could be a total disaster. They were just “good friends”. Yeah, he laughed to himself. Good friends who just happened to be helplessly in love with each other.

“Get off my bed, you ginger asshole.” A very familiar voice suddenly woke him from his thoughts. He slowly rolled over to face the door and a lazy smile spread across his lips. Tyler stood with a bag hanging from each shoulder, leaving his hands free to carry two cups of coffee. He flashed a grin and barreled into the room as Claude began to stand up.

“Listen, I got here first and I claimed it. You get the one closest to the door.” Claude walked over to him and grabbed one of the cups as well as a bag. “You snooze, you lose.” He grinned.

Tyler shook his head and tossed his other bag onto the free bed, giving an exaggerated sigh. “I would expect some sort of reward for getting this room; you know I had to do some heavy convincing. You are welcome.” He flopped down onto the bed and sipped his coffee.

“Right. I’m sure a superstar like you really needed to convince anyone to get what you want.” Claude snorted, setting the bag down and shoving the other off the bed to make a space for himself to sit. “And don’t you dare let this room get as messy as our bedroom at your house.” Their room at his apartment was somewhat organized, until Tyler came to visit and it became a tornado of clothes, shoes and hats. Not that Claude was not exactly a neat freak; he just liked to have some order in his life. After living with Danny Briere and his kids, he learned how to contain chaos once in a while.

Tyler huffed, giving a glance around the room. “Excuse me, jerk. You leave a trail of clothes from the bedroom to the shower. I found underwear in my pillowcase last time.” 

“I did that on purpose. And don’t even get me started on your extensive shoe collection.” Claude smirked, eyeing the pair Tyler currently was sporting. They looked very, very new. “When did you get those? At the airport?”

“No….” He trailed off, hiding his smile behind the coffee cup.

Claude rolled his eyes, and couldn’t help but smile. “You’re so impossible and I love you for it.” He stood up to shut the door, quickly scanning the hallway before shutting it tight and returning to the bed.

Tyler set his coffee down on the nightstand, leaning in to wrap both arms around Claude’s middle. “I missed you, gingy. I love you and your ridiculous idea of cleanliness.” He snuggled against the other man, feeling almost as if they were getting away with something scandalous despite being hidden in their room. He enjoyed the moment, because he knew they wouldn’t get much time alone after today.

“I missed you, fuckface. Don’t give me too much trouble on the ice, eh? If we end up on the same line, I’m gonna work you hard.” Claude held back a smile, narrowing his eyes with his best captain look.

“Okay, first of all. You can work me hard anytime.” Tyler said with a sly grin. “And second. You aren’t a captain here. You can’t tell me what to do.”

“Point taken. But, I can make you call me captain.” Claude wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, grabbing Tyler by the arms and pulling him in for a kiss.

The other man fell into the kiss and nearly forgot whatever smartass reply he had in his head. As they broke off, Tyler nuzzled against Claude’s neck. “Would you want to be? I mean, if they asked you?”

Claude had considered the option, and he knew it could possibly happen but he didn’t mind either way. “I don’t think I would want to, it’s stressful enough with one team. I also doubt some of these guys would like to see me as their captain.” He replied softly.

“Don’t think that way. Don’t worry. Most likely they’ll wait and see if… _you know_ …joins in and then ask him.” Tyler immediately regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. He drew back a bit, prepared for his boyfriend to react.

Surprisingly, to both of them, Claude nodded in agreement. “You’re right.” He stopped and gave a small smile. “You don’t have to be scared to say his name. He’s not Voldemort. I can deal with it. We don’t even know if he’s coming or not. I know how badly you just can’t waaaait to meet him.” Claude joked, watching Tyler’s cheeks blush slightly.

“Shut up! I hate you. He’s just a cool dude and talented and- “ Tyler pouted, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Maybe we’ll be best friends and I’ll move in with him.”

Claude tried to hold back, but he laughed much louder than he meant to and nearly rolled off the bed. “Oh, no! You’re going to leave me for Crosby! Woe, woe is me!” This time he did fall off the bed, his body shaking with laughter as he sat on the floor and tried to brace himself with the bedframe.

Tyler reached behind, grabbed a pillow with both hands and smacked Claude upside the head. “I just might!” He was still frowning, but he finally gave up and let out a gasping laugh. “You deserved that.”

“Oui. I did.”

“I love you.”

“Je t’aime aussi.”


End file.
